Vitae philosophorum

Diogenes Laertius

Diogenes Laertius. Hicks, R. D., editor. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1925.

The books that he wrote were as follows:

  • Of the Cosmos, two books.
  • Of Elements.
  • Of Seed.
  • Of Fortune.
  • V2_287
  • Of Minimal Parts.
  • Against Atoms and Images.
  • Of Organs of Sense.
  • A Course of Five Lectures on Heraclitus.
  • On the Right Arrangement of Ethical Doctrine.
  • Of Duty.
  • Of Impulse.
  • Of the Passions, two books.
  • Of Kingship.
  • Of the Spartan Constitution.
  • Of Lycurgus and Socrates, three books.
  • Of Law.
  • On Divination.
  • Dialogues on Love.
  • Of the School of Eretria.
  • Of Similars.
  • Of Terms.
  • Of Habit.
  • Of Contradictions, three books.
  • Of Discourse.
  • Of Wealth.
  • Of Fame.
  • Of Death.
  • Handbook of Dialectic, two books.
  • Of Predicates.
  • Of Ambiguous Terms.
  • Letters.
  • Chrysippus, the son of Apollonius, came either from Soli or from Tarsus, as Alexander relates in his Successions. He was a pupil of Cleanthes. Before this he used to practise as a long-distance runner;

    V2_289
    but afterwards he came to hear Zeno, or, as Diocles and most people say, Cleanthes; and then, while Cleanthes was still living, withdrew from his school and attained exceptional eminence as a philosopher. He had good natural parts and showed the greatest acuteness in every branch of the subject; so much so that he differed on most points from Zeno, and from Cleanthes as well, to whom he often used to say that all he wanted was to be told what the doctrines were; he would find out the proofs for himself. Nevertheless, whenever he had contended against Cleanthes, he would afterwards feel remorse, so that he constantly came out with the lines[*](Eur. Or. 540-1.):
      Blest in all else am I, save only where
    1. I touch Cleanthes: there I am ill-fortuned.